Conveyor device

Abstract

In order to suppress speed irregularity of step rollers ( 5 ) in a passenger conveyor, a bent section ( 17 ) is formed in a step guide rail ( 3 ) and a restraining member ( 18 ) is provided upstream thereof, the shape of the height of the bent section ( 17 ) and the restraining member ( 18 ) is corrected beforehand by the amount of the compression of resilient members of the step rollers ( 5 ), which are formed with such resilient members around their shafts, by the compressive force acting between the bent section ( 17 ) and restraining member ( 18 ). Thus generation of speed irregularity of the steps ( 4 ) is suppressed and passenger comfort is improved. Also, by providing a recess ( 3 aa ) in the step guide rail ( 3 ), gripping of the step rollers ( 5 ) as they execute rolling movement along the undersurface of the restraining member ( 18 ) from below can be avoided, thereby preventing damage to the step rollers ( 5 ), restraining member ( 18 ) and step guide rail ( 3 ).

1. A conveyor having
 a plurality of steps having a step roller, 
 a step chain linking said step rollers with a prescribed pitch, 
 a rotary drive device that generates a drive force for moving said steps in a prescribed direction, and 
 a driving sprocket wheel rotated by receiving said drive force of said rotary drive device, and that transmits said drive force to said step chain, 
 said conveyor comprising: 
 a step guide rail whereby, if a pitch circle speed of said driving sprocket wheel is defined as Vt, an average speed of said step roller that is moved, linked with said step chain is defined as Vo, and positions at which a speed of said step roller decreases from Vt to Vo are defined as reference positions, said step rollers are guided by providing a hill-shaped bent section between a reference position, of a plurality of said reference positions that exist, positioned in a vicinity of said driving sprocket wheel and another reference position adjacent to said reference position; and 
 a restraining member provided so as to abut said step roller in a position facing a position upstream of a location where said hill-shaped bent section is provided; 
 wherein said step rollers are formed having a resilient member about a shaft and said step guide rail is formed with a height of a central region of said hill-shaped bent section elevated by an amount corresponding to an amount of compression of said resilient member of said step roller in a radial direction. 
 
   
   
     2. The conveyor according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein if said step roller having speed irregularity, which is said step roller that is located between said bent section and said driving sprocket wheel is defined as an irregular speed roller, said step roller that may be anticipated to have a fixed speed and that is a second step roller along said step guide rail, on an other side of said bent section from said irregular speed roller is defined as a fixed speed roller and a track that is followed by a point of intersection of a circle drawn with a radius of a link length of said step chain from a center of said irregular speed roller and a circle that is drawn with a radius of a link length of said step chain from a center of said fixed speed roller, when movement in an amount of one pitch takes place of said irregular speed roller and said fixed speed roller, is defined as a roller center track, 
 said bent section of said step guide rail is formed in a shape imitating said roller center track. 
 
   
   
     3. The conveyor according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein if said step roller having speed irregularity, which is said step roller that is located between said bent section and said driving sprocket wheel is defined as an irregular speed roller, said step roller that is allowed to have a minute speed irregularity and that is a second step roller on another side of said bent section from said irregular speed roller is defined as a practically fixed speed roller and a track that is followed by a point of intersection of a circle drawn with a radius of a link length of said step chain from a center of said irregular speed roller and a circle that is drawn with a radius of a link length of said step chain from a center of said practically fixed speed roller, when movement in an amount of one pitch takes place of said irregular speed roller and said practically fixed speed roller, is defined as a roller center track, 
 said bent section of said step guide rail is formed in a shape imitating said roller center track. 
 
   
   
     4. The conveyor according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said step guide rail is provided with said bent section in a vicinity of said driving sprocket wheel on a return side. 
 
   
   
     5. The conveyor according to  claim 1 ,
 further comprising: 
 a driven sprocket wheel of practically a same diameter as said driving sprocket wheel; 
 a chain tensioning mechanism that applies tension to said step chain by biasing said driven sprocket wheel in a direction away from said driving sprocket wheel; and 
 a moveable rail receiving said tension from said chain tensioning mechanism, and capable of movement in a direction away from said driving sprocket wheel, linked with said driven sprocket wheel. 
 
   
   
     6. The conveyor according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein said moveable rail has a circular section of practically a same diameter as said driving sprocket wheel. 
 
   
   
     7. A conveyor having
 a plurality of steps having a step roller, 
 a step chain linking said step rollers with a prescribed pitch, 
 a rotary drive device that generates a drive force for moving said steps in a prescribed direction, 
 a driving sprocket wheel rotated by receiving a drive force of said rotary drive device, and that transmits said drive force to said step chain; 
 said conveyor comprising: 
 a step guide rail whereby, if a pitch circle speed of said driving sprocket wheel is defined as Vt, an average speed of said step roller that is moved, linked with said step chain is defined as Vo, and positions at which a speed of said step roller decreases from Vt to Vo are defined as reference positions, said step rollers are guided by providing a hill-shaped bent section between a reference position, of a plurality of said reference positions that exist, positioned in a vicinity of said driving sprocket wheel and a drive starting point on said driving sprocket wheel separated by a link length of said step chain from said reference position; and 
 a restraining member provided so as to abut said step roller in a position facing a position upstream of a location where said hill-shaped bent section is provided; 
 wherein said step rollers are formed having a resilient member about a shaft and said step guide rail is formed with a height of a central region of said hill-shaped bent section elevated by an amount corresponding to an amount of compression of said resilient member in a radial direction of said step roller. 
 
   
   
     8. A conveyor having
 a plurality of steps having a step roller, 
 a step chain linking said step rollers with a prescribed pitch, 
 a rotary drive device that generates a drive force for moving said steps in a prescribed direction, 
 a driving sprocket wheel rotated by receiving said drive force of said rotary drive device, and that transmits said drive force to said step chain; 
 said conveyor comprising: 
 a step guide rail whereby, if a pitch circle speed of said driving sprocket wheel is defined as Vt, an average speed of said step roller that is moved, linked with said step chain is defined as Vo, and positions at which a speed of said step roller decreases from Vt to Vo are defined as reference positions, said step rollers are guided by providing a valley-shaped bent section between a reference position, of a plurality of said reference positions that exist, positioned in a vicinity of said driving sprocket wheel and another reference position adjacent to said reference position; and 
 a restraining member provided so as to abut said step roller in a position facing said valley-shaped bent section; 
 wherein said step rollers are formed having a resilient member about a shaft and said restraining member is formed with a height of a central region thereof elevated towards said valley-shaped bent section by an amount corresponding to an amount of compression of said resilient member in a radial direction of said step roller. 
 
   
   
     9. A conveyor having
 a plurality of steps having a step roller, 
 a step chain linking said step rollers with a prescribed pitch, 
 a rotary drive device that generates a drive force for moving said steps in a prescribed direction, 
 a driving sprocket wheel rotated by receiving said drive force of said rotary drive device, and that transmits said drive force to said step chain, 
 said conveyor comprising: 
 a step guide rail whereby, if a pitch circle speed of said driving sprocket wheel is defined as Vt, an average speed of said step roller that is moved, linked with said step chain is defined as Vo, and positions at which a speed of said step roller decreases from Vt to Vo are defined as reference positions, said step rollers are guided by providing a hill-shaped bent section between a reference position, of a plurality of said reference positions that exist, positioned in a vicinity of said driving sprocket wheel and another reference position adjacent to said reference position; and 
 a restraining member provided so as to abut said step roller in a position facing a position upstream of a location where said hill-shaped bent section is provided; 
 wherein said step guide rail is formed with a recess in a surface facing said restraining member. 
 
   
   
     10. The conveyor according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein said restraining member is formed with an outwardly inclined tapered shape at both ends in a step movement direction; 
 said recess of said step guide rail is formed with an inwardly inclined tapered shape at a position corresponding to both said ends; and 
 said step rollers are arranged so as to pass with practically uniform gaps between said restraining member and said step guide rail at positions corresponding to both said ends. 
 
   
   
     11. The conveyor according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein said step rollers are formed with resilient members around the shafts thereof; and 
 said step guide rail is formed with a height of a center section of said hill-shaped bent section elevated by an amount corresponding to an amount of compression of said resilient members in a radial direction of said step rollers. 
 
   
   
     12. The conveyor according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein said step rollers are formed with resilient members around said shaft thereof and said step guide rail is formed with a height of a center section of said hill-shaped bent section elevated by an amount corresponding to an amount of compression of said resilient members in a radial direction of said step rollers. 
 
   
   
     13. The conveyor according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein said restraining member is formed with a surface thereof that contacts said step rollers made to project in a center section thereof by an amount corresponding to an amount of compression of said resilient members in a radial direction of said step rollers. 
 
   
   
     14. A conveyor having
 a plurality of steps having a step roller, 
 a step chain linking said step rollers with a prescribed pitch, 
 a rotary drive device that generates a drive force for moving said steps in a prescribed direction, 
 a driving sprocket wheel rotated by receiving said drive force of said rotary drive device, and that transmits said drive force to said step chain; 
 said conveyor comprising: 
 a step guide rail whereby, if a pitch circle speed of said driving sprocket wheel is defined as Vt, an average speed of said step roller that is moved, linked with said step chain is defined as Vo, and positions at which a speed of said step roller decreases from Vt to Vo are defined as reference positions, said step rollers are guided by providing a valley-shaped bent section between a reference position, of a plurality of said reference positions that exist, positioned in a vicinity of said driving sprocket wheel and another reference position adjacent to said reference position; and 
 a restraining member provided so as to abut said step roller in a position facing said valley-shaped bent section; 
 wherein said step guide rail is formed with a recess in said valley-shaped bent section. 
 
   
   
     15. The conveyor according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein said restraining member is formed with an outwardly inclined tapered shape at both ends in a step movement direction; 
 said recess of said step guide rail is formed with an inwardly inclined tapered shape at a position corresponding to both ends of said restraining member; and 
 said step rollers are arranged so as to pass with practically uniform gaps between said restraining member and said step guide rail at positions of both ends formed with said tapered shapes. 
 
   
   
     16. The conveyor according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein said step rollers are formed with resilient members around said shaft thereof and said restraining member is formed with a surface thereof that contacts said step rollers made to project in a center section thereof by an amount corresponding to an amount of compression of said resilient members in a radial direction of said step rollers. 
 
   
   
     17. A conveyor having
 a plurality of steps having a step roller, 
 a step chain linking said step rollers with a prescribed pitch, 
 a rotary drive device that generates a drive force for moving said steps in a prescribed direction, 
 a driving sprocket wheel rotated by receiving said drive force of said rotary drive device, and that transmits said drive force to said step chain; 
 said conveyor comprising: 
 a step guide rail whereby, if a pitch circle speed of said driving sprocket wheel is defined as Vt, an average speed of said step roller that is moved, linked with said step chain is defined as Vo, and positions at which a speed of said step roller decreases from Vt to Vo are defined as reference positions, said step rollers are guided by providing a hill-shaped bent section between said reference position, of a plurality of said reference positions that exist, positioned in a vicinity of said driving sprocket wheel and a drive starting point on said driving sprocket wheel separated by a link length of said step chain from said reference position; and 
 a restraining member provided so as to abut said step roller in a position facing a position upstream of a location where said hill-shaped bent section is provided; 
 wherein said step guide rail is formed with a recess in a surface facing said restraining member. 
 
   
   
     18. A conveyor having
 a plurality of steps having a step roller, 
 a step chain linking said step rollers with a prescribed pitch, 
 a rotary drive device that generates a drive force for moving said steps in a prescribed direction, 
 a driving sprocket wheel rotated by receiving said drive force of said rotary drive device, and that transmits said drive force to said step chain; 
 said conveyor comprising: 
 a step guide rail whereby, if a pitch circle speed of said driving sprocket wheel is defined as Vt, an average speed of said step roller that is moved, linked with said step chain is defined as Vo, and positions at which a speed of said step roller decreases from Vt to Vo are defined as reference positions, said step rollers are guided by providing a hill-shaped bent section between a reference position, of a plurality of said reference positions that exist, positioned in a vicinity of said driving sprocket wheel and another reference position adjacent to said reference position; and 
 a restraining member provided so as to abut said step roller in a position facing a position upstream of a location where said hill-shaped bent section is provided; 
 wherein a height of said step guide rail is offset to less than a height at said hill-shaped bent section on a side of said hill-shaped bent section further from said driving sprocket wheel. 
 
   
   
     19. A conveyor having
 a plurality of steps having a step roller, 
 a step chain linking said step rollers with a prescribed pitch, 
 a rotary drive device that generates a drive force for moving said steps in a prescribed direction, 
 a driving sprocket wheel rotated by receiving said drive force of said rotary drive device, and that transmits said drive force to said step chain; 
 said conveyor comprising: 
 a step guide rail whereby, if a pitch circle speed of said driving sprocket wheel is defined as Vt, an average speed of said step roller that is moved, linked with said step chain is defined as Vo, and positions at which a speed of said step roller decreases from Vt to Vo are defined as reference positions, said step rollers are guided by providing a hill-shaped bent section between a reference position, of a plurality of said reference positions that exist, positioned in a vicinity of said driving sprocket wheel and another reference position adjacent to said reference position; and 
 a restraining member provided so as to abut said step roller in a position facing a position upstream of a location where said hill-shaped bent section; 
 wherein said step guide rail is folded so as to constitute a hill fold in practically a center of said hill-shaped bent section. 
 
   
   
     20. A conveyor having
 a plurality of steps having a step roller, 
 a step chain linking said step rollers with a prescribed pitch; 
 a rotary drive device that generates a drive force for moving said steps in a prescribed direction, 
 a driving sprocket wheel rotated by receiving said drive force of said rotary drive device, and that transmits drive force to said step chain, 
 said conveyor comprising: 
 a step guide rail whereby, if a pitch circle speed of said driving sprocket wheel is defined as Vt, an average speed of said step roller that is moved, linked with said step chain is defined as Vo, and positions at which a speed of said step roller decreases from Vt to Vo are defined as reference positions, said step rollers are guided by providing a valley-shaped bent section between a reference position, of a plurality of said reference positions that exist, positioned in a vicinity of said driving sprocket wheel and another reference position adjacent to said reference position; and 
 a restraining member provided so as to abut said step roller in a position facing said valley-shaped bent section; 
 wherein said step guide rail is folded so as to constitute a valley fold in practically a center of said valley-shaped bent section.